


Making Amends

by Akinai_Sere



Category: Final Fantasy XIV, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 21:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6346708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akinai_Sere/pseuds/Akinai_Sere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the dead still exist, still watching over those they love?</p><p>A conjurer, long dead since the Calamity, sees her brother fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Making Amends

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of By the Sword, originally posted in February 2014. Since this is STILL pre-Heavensward, some facts may be a little off.
> 
> This also took way less time to format to AO3's standards, thankfully X.x

_Alex, my brother... I am so sorry._  
  
_I witnessed the destruction of the keep leading to the mighty city of Ishgard, unable to do anything but watch in despair. That is the both the curse and blessing to those who have already left this world; while we are able to see our loved ones and watch time pass by, we are unable to interact in the least. There are those who say ignorance is bliss... sometimes, I can't help but agree with them._  
  
_When I was alive, I had been a conjurer; someone who had worked in harmony with nature to heal the wounds of my loved ones. Together, along with my brother, we had served our country and tried to make the land a better place. To see Alex now, fighting with others against what looked to be an unstoppable horde of foreign dragons, was disheartening to say the least of it. To see him fall, bathed in flames from one of those monsters, was even worse._  
  
“ _At least I will be able to speak with you once more,” I whispered, averting my eyes. There was no need to watch my brother burn, and maybe his anger would finally be put to rest._  
  
“ _ **That will not be possible, child,”** a feminine voice answered, the sound encompassing the veil I resided in. **“Someone has already laid claim on his soul.”**_  
  
_I looked up, startled by the response. In life, I had served the Twelve like most of the Enlightened Races. My main deity of the pantheon had been Nophica, goddess of harvests and respected greatly by all conjurers. Even in the afterlife, all of the Twelve rarely spoke to their disciples; to hear their words meant something was greatly wrong. “Do you mean another one of the gods? I know you and Halone have your differences, but I thought we all share the same realm upon death--”_  
  
“ _ **That is not the case,”** Nophica replied, sounding mournful. **“Much as I disagree with the Fury and the way she treats her subjects, none of us would deny our followers access to this realm.”**_  
  
_At this point, I was genuinely confused. I know Alex had lost his faith shortly after my death, leaving our home and moving to Ishgard where Halone reigned supreme, but he had shown no signs of picking another deity in that time. While there were other gods that existed in this world, deemed primals, they ruled their subjects with an iron fist and shunned most of the Enlightened Races. “He aligned himself with a primal, then? Alex would never do that!”_  
  
“ _ **No, though it may have been a kinder fate if your brother had chosen such a path. There is...”** Nophica's voice faltered, shaking with emotion- was it fear or anger? **“Another deity, one who calls himself Giratina, was banished from his original world. Because of this, he has decided to use this world as his new realm. Those new dragons are his subjects, and were sent here to clear the way for his arrival.”**_  
  
“ _A voidsent,” I said, the realization filling me with horror. Voidsent were beings who were from different worlds, corrupting the land with their entry. As a conjurer, part of my job had entailed helping to banish the creatures and purify the area upon their destruction. While most simply arrived to bring mayhem, it would not be surprising to hear that one had decided to become a god instead. “Alex, did he...”_  
  
“ _ **The flames that burned Alex alive transported him to Giratina's realm. In his bid to live, your brother pledged his sword to the voidsent's cause,”** Nophica confirmed. **“I am sorry, our reach cannot touch where he now resides.”**_  
  
_I looked to where Alex had originally lain, writhing in the snow as the dragon's attack consumed him. Instead of a charred corpse or even ashes, what usually remained after a body was torched with dragonfire, there was simply nothing. Every other piece of the battle was still in place, from the myriad horde of monsters bearing down on their prey to the quickly despairing army of Ishgard, but all signs of my brother had disappeared. “There has to be something you can do! Alex does not deserve such a fate.”_  
  
“ _ **Your time has passed, child. Do not trouble yourself over your brother's folly, or on the current state of the world. In the end, everything ends and begins anew.”**_  
  
“ _So you and the rest of the Twelve will just stand back and let another take over the world?” I said, shaking in rage. The gods were known to have a very hands-off approach, but to allow a foreign god simply take over everything was too far. “Why do you even consider us your children when all of you are willing to watch us die for nothing?”_  
  
“ _ **You do not understand how the cosmos works, conjurer.”** Nophica's voice had hardened, now giving off no hint of her emotion. **“We are unable to interfere directly, those who choose to do so are greatly punished in the end.”**_  
  
“ _Then let me do something instead,” I pleaded. “I can't just stand back and do nothing while the land is corrupted and my brother becomes a pawn. If anything, direct me to someone who can help. You said Giratina was from another world, can a god help us from there?”_  
  
_For what felt like an eternity, there was nothing but silence. I feared that Nophica had chosen to ignore my request and go back to whatever tasks a god does; in the veil no one possessed an actual form, even the Twelve unless they deemed to show themselves. Finally, I was granted a response. **“You do not know what you ask. If you leave this realm, there is no promise that you will be able to return.”**_  
  
“ _There is a way, then?” I asked, my hopes rising. “Name it, and explain what I must do.”_  
  
“ _ **All will be explained in due time. I just hope you will not regret your decision.”**_  
  
_At that moment, an odd sensation emanated throughout my entire being. Had I a solid form, I would have said it was as if a giant weight had been pressed down on my body. As I my consciousness sank, it became harder to focus on the surrounding area and the battle still raging on. Before everything went black, I heard Nophica speak once more._  
  
“ _ **We will do what we can. Until then, have faith.”**_  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
“'Sun's sweet smile and wind's cool breath'... why can't I remember the rest?”  
  
Flabébé grimaced to herself, repeating the words for what felt like the thousandth time today. The land, as it had been for every day since she had arrived here, was frigid and showing no signs of improvement. Snow covered the ground as far as the eye could see, and she could barely make out a range of mountains far off in the distance. Shivering in the cold, she huddled further into the only piece of living fauna she had seen here- a single white flower, managing to weather the endless winter chill.  
  
When Giratina's plan to break free from his prison and take over an entire world had been discovered, the other Legends had mixed reactions to this interesting turn of events. Most had simply turned a blind eye, opting to focus on their domains instead. Others had even agreed with the Renegade Pokemon's actions, saying that it served them right for imprisoning him in the first place-- after all, there were bound to be consequences for trying to keep a creature with godlike power locked up for thousands of years. Finally, there were some who decided that Giratina must be stopped.  
  
Flabébé's patron deity, for better or worse, came from this last group.  
  
Upon hearing that Giratina had employed Dragon Pokemon to clear the way for him, Xerneas had acted in turn. The deer-like Pokemon had rallied his subjects and informed them of the current situation. He asked for volunteers to follow the Dragons to this new world and deter their progress, using brute force if necessary. There was just one problem- for those who chose to undertake this task, they had the chance of being locked in this strange new world for eternity.  
  
Possessing no flower to bond with just yet, the choice for Flabébé had been simple. Not only would she be able to undertake something that was bound to be spoken of for generations to come, there was a chance to discover new flora and take them back to her family's home garden. Sure, there was some risk, but wasn't it the same for anything worth doing in life?  
  
Xerneas had failed in explaining just one minor detail: the location of the portal itself. The Dragons had escaped through a dimensional tear in the middle of a land called Coerthas, which was currently suffering from near-constant snowfall. Since this was the only entrance known, Flabébé had to go through the same path. Her home had originally been a grassy meadow, the land currently in the middle of spring and abundantly green. To shift from that environment to a freezing one had been quite a shock for the Fairy Pokemon.  
  
For her species, this was downright deadly; her family required to either bond to a flower or live in close proximity to those who had already bonded to survive. It had taken hours of trying to search for the nearest available shelter (as well as trying not to freeze to death,) before she finally sensed a small, nearly nonexistent life-source. That source was the flower she hung onto currently, and together they weathered the cold until she could grow stronger.  
  
“I really wish I could remember the rest of that verse,” Flabébé spoke to the flower, her tiny body hiding in the center of the plant. “It makes me think of warmer days for some reason, and the words are so pretty. I wonder where I learned them, though?”  
  
The flower, of course, gave no response. Still, it was comforting to the Flabébé to have the company of another living creature out in this foreign wasteland, silent or not. One did not need words to communicate with their bonded flower anyways; all she needed to do was concentrate, and she could feel its energy almost as if it was a part of her own being. For the moment, the white blossom was managing to survive but little else.  
  
“Maybe you taught me the verse?” Flabébé remarked, mostly joking. It was nice to just hear something, even if they were her own words. “They say that every life-force listens and remembers everything in their lifetime, they're just unable to always access the memory. Perhaps you heard as a seed, long before you somehow took root here?” Sighing, the Flabébé took a peek outside, her white head blending in with the flower's petals almost seamlessly.  
  
Unsurprisingly, so far the day looked as if it would be uneventful. They were far from any settlements, with not a single living creature in sight. In this snowy expanse, it would probably be easy to get lost; while there was a single upright stone about a couple feet tall lying to her right, which helped stave off some of the cold wind, there were not really any landmarks save for the mountains to the north. This was all pointless for the time being anyways, as she was effectively chained to her flower of choice- leaving the blossom for too long would sever the link, granting them both a slow death.  
  
All in all, she was stuck until she evolved and would be large enough to carry the flower around.  
  
“At least we don't have to worry about starving to death, right?” Flabébé said, giving a wry grin. “As long as we're both alive, we can share our energy.” That was one of the perks of being a Fairy Pokemon she supposed; as long as there was a link to nature, they did not have to worry about food or water to survive. After listening to the wind howl above them for the rest of the day the tiny Fairy began the verse once more as the sun set on another day. “'Sun's sweet smile and wind's cool breath'...”  
  
_Both of these I send thee,_ a voice whispered in reply, the words nearly lost on the wind.  
  
Upon hearing this new voice, Flabébé nearly fell out of her shelter. _Someone else is out here? s_ he mused, looking about in bewilderment. Oddly enough, the wasteland was as empty as ever. “Who said that? Are you hiding?”  
  
_To ripe thy fruit and spread thy seed, a_ _nd nourish those that tend thee._ As these last words were uttered, the flower looked more vibrant; its stem grew slightly greener and the entire plant practically glowed in life energy.  
  
“Is this a sign from Xerneas?” Flabébé wondered aloud, staring at the flower in amazement. She wasn't sure which she was more confused about- that her home was apparently speaking or the fact that she felt confusion upon uttering her question. “... this is getting confusing. You understand me?” She had been told before from her mother long ago that the bond between Flabébé and flower would grow stronger in time until the two became one, but she had never said anything about the latter having self-awareness!  
  
_The Hymn, I was always fond of it. Something feels wrong. Brother, where--_  
  
“Definitely not normal,” Flabébé said, clutching her head. She wasn't sure if the voice was coming from the flower or her own head at this point. The link she shared with the plant likely made the answer irrelevant, but did little to calm down the now-distraught Fairy. “What are you?”  
  
As if sensing the Flabébé's confusion as well, the voice grew more panicked. _This isn't right! I can't be trapped here._  
  
The glow shone brighter, releasing energy. Weakened by this sudden loss, Flabébé whited out.  
  
  


  
~*~  


 

“So, are we just going to ignore that flash of light or what?”

Night had fallen, and that meant it was time to move once more. The horde of Giratina had grown, enough where most of them had broken off into their own species. The official reasoning for this was pure strategy. All of the Dragons shared a mixed sleeping schedule, so it was more sound for the diurnal and nocturnal groups to travel separately.

In reality, it boiled down to one simple fact: most of them couldn't tolerate the company of a Pokemon outside their species, and some had problems even dealing with their own members.

The eldest of this particular group, a Hydreigon, turned to face the original speaker as he hovered in place. His main head was staring in derision, with the smaller head-claws snapped about impatiently. “What is the point of exploring a light in the middle of nowhere? Our goal is to deal with real threats, not what is probably some lost adventurer.”

“But what if you're wrong?” the Pokemon replied. This one possessed the small furry body of a Noibat, the creature flapping in the air frantically while it tried to stay aloft. “We might as well check it out, not like we're doing anything important at the moment.”

“If you want to look for yourself, feel free,” the Hydreigon said with a growl. A couple of nearby Noivern overheard the two conversing Dragons, each giving the tiny bat a smirk. “We're not stopping for you though. Get lost or be more useful to our cause, I don't care which you do.”

The Noibat puffed up in anger, about to snark back with his own reply, until he saw the two Dragons observing nearby. Cursing under his breath, the bat deflated and averted his gaze. “Yes, Tyra. Where are we supposed to head tonight?”

“That's better, _mutant_ ,” Tyra replied, all three heads smirking. “We're ordered to head back to the home portal. Giratina has heard rumors that the other Legends have discovered his plan, so it's our assignment to keep an eye out. If possible, we need to capture them alive; he wants to know what Legends know of this place, and what they plan to do.”

The Noibat bristled at the insult, but held his tongue for now. Instead, he focused on his commander's orders. “Other Pokemon are around here? Why not just send a lesser mixed regiment, like the Flygon and Altaria brigade?” The power of all Dragons was considered superior over all over types, this fact had been ingrained in him since the day he had been hatched. “Surely they can deal with a problem like that, while we can take on a harder challenge!”

“You underestimate our enemy, boy,” Tyra stated, suddenly growing serious. “Those of the Ice element could provide a problem to our plans, while those cursed Fairies can shrug off our attacks entirely.” Seeing that the others in the flight were starting to grow restless, the Hydreigon looked among them and let out a roar. “Which is _exactly_ why we need to head out, on the double! Don't fall behind, we slow down for no one!”

For the moment, the Noibat looked at a loss on what to do. The smart choice would be to follow his flight- after all, his seniors likely did know better and the task _did_ seem important. That light he had seen before looked far from normal, though... what if it was another Pokemon, or just an adventurer calling for help? Figuring he could always catch up later once everyone was back at the portal, the tiny draconic bat decided to fly after where he had seen the source of the light.

 

  
~*~  


  
_The world was on fire._  
  
_Not a single one of us had expected to leave this battlefield unscathed. We were mercenaries, people who were chosen to thin the strength of the enemy before they could make it to their main goal. The continent of Eorzea was home to those who followed the more traditional arts of war. From the nature-loving province of Gridania to the proud religious zealots of Ishgard, we were normally a sight to behold._  
  
_Against the foreign Garlean Empire, home to strange mechanical beasts and weapons that fired iron, we were sorely unprepared._  
  
“ _Anna, look! The moon is breaking apart!”_  
  
_I stare upwards as our latest opponent is finished off by my brother's sword, curious at Alex's remark. In recent days, the red moon Dalamud had become larger in the night sky. The warrior classes had wondered about the cause of such an event, while the mages considered it a foreboding omen. Either way, no one had taken it seriously- until now._  
  
_Before my eyes, the moon sank from the heavens, slowly sinking down until it stopped several hundred feet above our heads. During that time, the crimson object simply_ shattered _, scattering debris upon the earth and on the heads of those unlucky enough to be in the way. As more of it broke away, it became apparent that Dalamud wasn't just shattering of its own will... something was trying to break free from within._  
  
“ _By the gods,” Alex whispered, as two colossal wings, black as midnight, erupted from the crumbling moon. The final pieces exploded forth, knocking everyone caught in the blast off their feet._  
  
_If I thought that there was enough fire being tossed about earlier from spells, it was nothing compared to now. The creature was now fully uncovered, revealed to be a massive bipedal dragon. Its wings flapped lazily above us, and its blood-red eyes stared upon all with seething anger. Opening its maw, it shot forth countless fireballs on the terrified armies below._  
  
“ _We need to flee, now!” I cried out, grabbing my brother's arm. Even the Garlean army would be helpless against such a creature, and it was bound to strike both friend and foe alike._  
  
_Alex did not move from the ground, his blue eyes transfixed by the dragon's presence. “Is that a primal? What are we supposed to do against it...”_  
  
_At that moment, a cluster of the conjured fireballs dropped down dangerously towards our position. With Alex refusing to move, all I could do was conjure a barrier and pray that my magic was strong enough to protect us both. Within moments, a managed to erect a shimmering blue field around us. My brother stared upwards, as if in a trance._  
  
_The fireballs struck, one of them dissipated upon contact... and my barrier shattered as if made of glass. Due to the abrupt drain of magic caused by the shattering, I gave a pained cry and fell to the ground._  
  
_Before I blacked out, the last sight I saw was my brother's face, full of worry._  
  
“ _Anna!”_  
  
  
~*~  


 

Flabébé opened her eyes, looking about in a daze as the world came back into focus around her. Her head was throbbing for some reason, and the small Pokemon rubbed her temples as if it would help make the pain pass by quicker. The last thing she remembered was that her flower had begun acting oddly, and it released most of the pent-up power both of them had stored at once. The drain had knocked her out, that she understood. What she couldn't understand though was the fact that she felt so terribly sad. Images flashed in her mind, the face of one human in particular stood out to her. “... Alex?”

“No, though I'm pretty curious who that is,” a voice replied, sounding equal parts annoyed and curious, “you were calling out his name a lot in your sleep.”

Flabébé jumped at the voice, turning to her right to face the origin of the speaker. A small bat-like creature currently rested atop the lone rock, its yellow eyes peering down at her intently. Its cobalt-blue fur was puffed up in a vain attempt to weather the cold, and didn't look too eager to take to the skies once more. “Your guess is as good as mine. Have you been watching me this entire time?”

“Not the entire time, you were out cold by the time I arrived,” the bat replied, hopping down from the stone and resting its back on the surface. Now sheltered from the wind, the creature let out a content sigh. “I saw a light while flying about, so decided to check it out. It's not every day you see something shining in the middle of nowhere, after all.”

“How adventurous of you,” Flabébé drily responded, watching the bat carefully. This creature was a Pokemon, no doubt about it- those few creatures she had encountered here didn't speak this rationally. Since the only others who had been sent to this world were Fairy Pokemon like herself, that only left one option: the newcomer was a Dragon, or aligned with them. “You looked, found me, and decided to stick around. Now what are you going to do?”

Surprisingly, the bat's expression changed to mild confusion. “I'm not sure just yet. I was going to head home to report my findings, but you don't seem worth the time. You're obviously a Pokemon, though... perhaps I'll just eat you?” with those words the creature opened its mouth, revealing a large maw with sharp teeth.

 _Not yet..._ the flower whispered, catching Flabébé's attention, _Must get to Alex, can't fail just yet._

“Hold that thought,” Flabébé murmured, waving off the bat. As the Dragon closed its mouth in bewilderment, the tiny Fairy grasped her flower tightly and closed her eyes, focusing on her bond with the plant. _Where is this Alex? Better yet, who are you?_

 _Nophica said he was on the other side. Please, let me save my brother!_ the flower pleaded, its- _her_ voice desperate.

 _Xerneas, is this why you sent me to this spot?_ Shaking off her thoughts for now, Flabébé finally addressed the Dragon. “How about we come to a compromise? You take me with you, and we'll settle this at your home? I've had enough of this snowy land, and I'm sure you have as well.”

The Dragon's eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And you would want this why? My commander may just order me to kill you on the spot. If this is a trick...”

“No trick involved,” Flabébé replied. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to mix a little truth into her tale, she explained her reasoning the best she could. “See this flower here? I can't go anywhere without it and I'm too weak to explore this land on my own, so I'm effectively rooted to the spot. Take me with you though, and I may be able to return with you back to the other side. I'm sure your flight wants to be rid of me, what better way to do so than make sure I'm no longer in this world?”

“Seeing your corpse would make sure you're not a problem as well,” the bat pointed out, pointing a wing-arm at the Flabébé. Still, he mulled the words over carefully; he was eager to return home as well, and be rid of a flight that clearly wanted nothing to do with him. This strange Pokemon may be his excuse to finally leave and go back to living on his own. With a grin, the tiny Dragon nodded his head. “... I'll humor you, though. From this point forward, consider yourself my prisoner.”

 _A tiny Fairy, a haunted flower, and a bat with a huge ego problem. We'll strike fear to any who oppose us,_ the Flabébé wryly thought. On the outside though, she returned the grin and slid down from the flower, giving a tiny bow. “Prisoner it is. And you are...?”

“A Noibat,” the bat replied, clearly surprised by the question. “Call me Frost.”

The Flabébé bit her tongue upon hearing the Noibat's name- his form did have a very icy coloration, but to be named on the hue of his fur alone? “Right, Frost. I'm, well...” she looked up at the flower she still grasped, its white petals moving slightly. _If this flower and I are meant to be one, we may as well share the same name._ “Call me Anna. Shall we head out?”

 

  
~*~  
  
  
“ _Come on, sis, we're almost there.”_  
  
_I looked up, half-dragged by my brother as we slowly made it across the across the land. Mor Dhona was a barren rocky wasteland, even before war had decided to progress here. Up ahead, I could glimpse the first signs of greenery I had seen in a long time, dotted with snow. Somehow, our desperate retreat had led us to the outskirts of Coerthas. “We actually made it? Thank the Twelve...”_  
  
_Alex sank to the ground, causing me to stumble as his hold on me was suddenly released. He clutched his side, where I discovered the cause of his discomfort; a dark red stain was seeping through in the same location, his cured leather armor torn from an earlier attack._  
  
“ _Alex, why didn't you tell me earlier? The wound is deep.” I knelt down to take a closer look at his injury._  
  
“ _I'll be fine,” he weakly replied, trying to bat me away with a hand. It was then I noticed that his face was as white as a sheet- not a good sign, especially if he had been bleeding this long._  
  
“ _Brother, I'm a healer,” I stated pointedly, gesturing to my white woolen robe, “let me at least look at it.” Despite Alex's protest, I managed to move his hand to get a clear view. The gash had not been caused by a weapon. Garleans did not use bladed weapons, and my brother was not foolish enough to cut himself on his own blade. Probing the wound (causing Alex to flinch in response,) I pried out a sharp piece of crimson metal- shrapnel from the fallen Dalamud._  
  
“ _Let me guess, it's bad?” Alex asked, looking at the hunk of metal. “I didn't even notice the pain until we started to run.”_  
  
_I didn't answer, opting to check the flesh around the wound instead while praying to any gods listening that the worst possible scenario had not happened. Unfortunately, the Twelve either deemed my prayer unimportant or were too busy dealing with the countless others dying on the field we had left behind. An angry red coloring outlined the gash, with yellow pus coating the areas that had attempted to scab over. Even if I stitched the wound, infection would still end his life._  
  
_However... if I used magic, I could cleanse the infection. My mana reserves was drained thanks to my shattered protection spell from earlier, but all conjurers possessed the knowledge to channel their spells with their own life energy. My brother would live, but..._  
  
“ _Anna? Come on, answer me,” Alex pleaded, trying to look me in the eyes._  
  
“ _You'll be fine,” I finally replied, refusing to meet his gaze. I placed my hands over his wound, and began to tap into my own life-force to power the Cure spell. “Don't worry, brother...”_  
  
  
_~*~_  


 

“You always talk in your sleep? I'm starting to notice a habit, here.”

“Hm?” Anna asked, the Flabébé drowsy from her slumber. It had been a few days since she and Frost had met each other, and the Noibat's near constant sarcasm was beginning to grate on the Fairy's nerves. “Sorry if I interrupted what looks to be a rather uneventful flight so far.” She looked down, curious to see the land below; unsurprisingly, there was nothing but a wide expanse of snow and a herd of what looked almost like black-wooled Mareep idling about.

“I can always drop you, you know,” Frost grumbled back in reply. “One quick roll in midair, and both you and your flower would be out of my fur.”

 _But you won't, and you won't get rid of us that easily,_ Anna silently replied, gripping the flower's stem defensively. The plant was securely tied around Frost's midsection, while the Flabébé was situated on the Noibat's back. They likely made an odd sight for any passerby, but neither of them cared in the slightest. Instead, she chose to change the subject. “So, why are you called Frost? If your species are all blue, wouldn't it get a little confusing?”

“That's just the thing, we're not all blue,” Frost said, the Noibat's voice tinged with resignation. “All Noibat are born violet, with maybe one or two born a darker shade every now and then. Because I hatched a different color, I'm considered either a mutant or a half-breed.”

The realization hit Anna like a ton of bricks. Frost was considered a defect among his own kind, and it was all simply due to the color of his fur? No wonder the Noibat seemed to treat everything so aggressively. “I had no idea... in my home garden, we sometimes have someone hatch a different hue, but we don't judge them for it. Instead, we praise the diversity.”

 _Even in other worlds, there are always those who treat each other differently due to their appearance or beliefs,_ the flower bitterly remarked. _Hyur against Elezen, Garlean against Ishgardian, gods against gods..._

Anna shook off the words spoken over the link, not understanding the foreign terms. “Just what in Arceus's name is an Elezen or Hyur anyways,” she mumbled, still not used to dealing with this new presence in her mind.

“Two of the major races that live on this world, actually,” Frost remarked, hearing Anna's outburst. “Hyur are basically just like humans on our world, while Elezen are a couple heads taller with pointed ears. Why do you ask?”

 _Nothing, just that this flower is making me think thoughts that are not my own._ “Just words that I heard while on this world. Any idea when we'll reach your flight?” Anna asked, brushing off the Noibat's question.

“We'll be there by evening. Just hang tight, and pray to whatever Legend you serve that they consider you not dangerous enough to kill.”

 

  
~*~  
  
  
“ _Anna, why?”_  
  
_It was jarring to say the least of it, watching my brother cradle my empty shell of a body. To any other passerby, the sight may have been considered almost serene; simply a sibling embracing their sister as they slept, our similar features and silver hair proving that fact. The wound on his side had been fully healed, something I had made certain of before I felt my consciousness slip away._  
  
“ _I would have been fine, you could have just let me be,” Alex said bitterly. “If I had just moved, if I had been strong enough to act instead of staring at that damned dragon...”_  
  
_I kept my eyes on my brother, refusing to head to Nophica's realm just yet. Alex was clearly in pain due to my action, but I did not regret my choice. He was barely twenty summers, and had a promising career as a swordsman ahead of him. I, on the other hand, had pledged body and soul to my calling as a conjurer. I had given my life to give him a promising future._  
  
_After what felt like an eternity, Alex finally rose, gently moving my corpse aside. He stared not towards Coerthas, where safety surely awaited him, but towards the still-rampaging dragon. Even at this far a distance, the creature was still visible. His eyes followed the destruction, blazing with unbridled anger._  
  
“ _One day, dragon, I'll prove myself and destroy all your kind. I swear this!” Alex whispered, his voice cracking from sorrow._  
  
_It was at this moment that I realized just what I had done to my brother. In sparing his life in such a manner, I had set the beginning of his downward spiral into vengeance._  
  
_That is why I must meet my brother again, and beg forgiveness for my action._  
  
  
_~*~_  


 

“Anna, you awake? We're here.”

“We are-- I am awake,” Anna replied, quickly fixing her mistake. The Flabébé's bond with the white blossom seemed to grow stronger by the hour now, enough to where it was confusing to figure out which thoughts were her own. Slowly but surely, the symbiosis between Pokemon and flora was nearing completion. “Your flight, are they waiting for you?”

“They likely forgot that I exist,” Frost said offhandedly. “Either way, our destination was the home portal. With any luck, there will still be a few of them around the area.”

Both Noibat and Flabébé surveyed the area with interest. As always, the ground was piled with snow, hiding any path or flora that could normally be found in this region. In the distance up ahead, there lay the now-torched buildings that once belonged to those who once resided in this area. Even the stone walls possessed scorch marks, though there wasn't a body in sight- either the Dragons had eaten the corpses, or had banished them to the Distortion World with their violet breath.

During their flight, Frost had once explained to Anna about the “gift” Giratina had given every Dragon pledged to his cause. In addition to clearing the way, they were tasked with strengthening the ranks of the Legend's army. Anyone who agreed to serve him was reborn in a new form, but in return they had to siphon any life-force they gathered directly to Giratina.

And the fact that was likely what happened to Alex... the thought had disgusted the Flabébé.

It was in the middle of this razed settlement that their destination resided. A violet shimmer, roughly eight feet in height, stuck out like a sore thumb in the snow. Surrounding the portal lay four Dragons, each of them diligently watching the area for any intruders. One of them, a Hydreigon judging from its three heads and dark coloration, saw Frost and gave out a loud roar.

“Please tell me that's a friend of yours,” Anna whispered, shrinking down into the Noibat's fur.

“Hardly, he's my commander,” Frost replied, flying over to the Hydreigon and directing his attention to the other Dragon. “Commander Tyra! I have returned, along with that cause of that bright light we had discovered a few days ago.”

“You. Bloody. Mutant.” Tyra said with a snarl, all three of his heads focusing on Frost and his tiny passenger. “You brought a damned _Fairy_ to the portal? Do you wish to see us all destroyed?”

“A Fairy? That's a good one,” Frost replied, giving a chuckle. “There's no way she can take any of us down. Besides, she came here of her own free will!”

 _This isn't good._ Anna watched as the other three Dragons made their way over to Frost, feeling her chances of survival growing smaller by the second. As a Fairy, she possessed a natural immunity to Dragon attacks; if they used any other element, however, she would be sliced to ribbons.

“That is so her master would know where the portal is, you fool!” Tyra shouted at Frost. The Hydreigon's head-claws looked ready to bite off the Noibat's head at a moment's notice, from the way they were snapping in anger. “Kill it now, or I'll destroy you both.”

Frost froze in anger, clearly unsure what to do next. Finally, he sunk to the ground and lowered his head. “Anna, untie the flower and get off. I'll make this quick, I promise.”

 _I'm not giving up! Not when we're this close._ In this, both the original Anna and Flabébé were in agreement. The portal lay a mere ten feet away, and their main goal lay on the other side. “So, this is how it ends? You just snap us up, and go back to your happy life being considered a defect among your kind?” Anna asked, her eyes on the Noibat.

“If I don't do it, they'll kill us both,” Frost replied, his voice terse. The Noibat's form was quaking in fear as it withstood the gaze of Tyra and the others. “You knew this was a possible outcome as soon as you asked to be taken to my flight. Now please... get off.”

“Don't you wish for a better life?” Anna pleaded, keeping an iron grip on her flower and the Noibat's fur. “It can be found, if we just enter that portal.”

“Don't ask me to do this,” Frost whispered, shuddering. “I'm giving you until the count of three--”

“Enough stalling!” Tyra roared, all three heads moving in unison to attack. Each maw snapped forward towards Frost, attempting to land a blow on the tiny bat.

Out of pure survival instinct, Frost hopped out of range and took to the sky once more. “Tyra, wait! Just give me a moment, I swear I'm not a traitor!”

Tyra, unfortunately for Frost, was beyond the point of caring. Instead of bothering to give a reply, the Hydreigon snarled and snapped again at the Noibat. The three other Dragon guards, surprised by the commander's action, recoiled from Tyra's rampage; if caught in the Outrage, there was a high chance they would be critically injured from the blow.

Frost was unable to do little else but do his best to dodge the other Dragon's attacks, barely skirting each attack. A single attack would surely fell him, both Anna and the bat were aware of this.

“I have to do something,” Anna whispered, holding on for dear life. “He's obviously not that bad, and Frost could have just left us where he found me.”

 _You're wrong,_ the flower replied, her voice sounding calm. We _have to do something._

“Right, how silly of me,” Anna said, calming down as she realized just what the flora was implying. “Are you ready, then?”

_Whenever you are. I'm just sorry to have dragged you into this._

Both Flabébé and flower began to glow, the latter unlatching itself from Frost's body. The light encompassed the tiny Noibat, blinding Tyra and pausing the Hydreigon's rampage. As Frost closed his eyes from the light, he was left unaware as his two passengers became one.

 

  
~*~  
  
  
_I opened my eyes, looking upon this new body I possessed. Like the tiny creature that had carried me all this way, I appeared to have a mostly white coloration with a splash of forest-green on the lower part of my body. While there were likely other new changes to my form, it mattered little at this point. Looking to my side, I saw the flower I had once resided in, the petals still white and vibrant. Grabbing the plant, I closed my eyes and went over what abilities this new body contained._  
  
Stick with whichever move feels the most natural, _I heard the Flabébé whisper in my mind, our roles now reversed._ They will likely retreat if you do so, so lead Frost out of there and run!  
  
_I nodded, letting out a chant that would supposedly temporarily change the surrounding area into a terrain that would ward off Dragons. A light, rose-colored mist rose from the ground, causing the nearby dragons to hiss in fear. Frost was no different, shrieking as the fog threatened to encompass him as well._  
  
_Seeing the Noibat's reaction, I quickly moved to grab the still-larger creature. “Now is our chance! Follow me through the portal, we can likely lose them on the other side.”_  
  
“ _Anna?” Frost said, staring at my new form in shock. “Your voice is different too. What happened to you?”_  
  
_At this point, Tyra had managed to recover and dodge the fae-created mist. Taking a deep breath, The Hydreigon began to charge what looked to be an orb of pure Draconic energy, pulsing a vivid violet hue. Taking aim, the Dragon fired straight at Frost._  
  
_I quickly turned the Noibat about, switching sides so I would take the brunt of the attack instead. Despite this new body's immunities, the sheer force of the attack propelled us both forward. While the Pulse had knocked the breath out of me, it had done one more important thing- it gave us a much-needed boost into the portal._  
  
_I closed my eyes, welcoming the sudden feeling of emptiness that surrounded me. I could only pray that Frost would survive the trip as well._  



End file.
